The minhag on Purim is that during the reading of the megilah, certain parts are read with a sad and cheerless tune; the same tune that is used when we read Megilas Eicha. Amongst them are ‘v’kaylim m’kaylim shonim’ and ‘asher heglah m’yerushalaim im yichunya melech yehuda’…..

On the surface we can comprehend the second pasuk since it depicts the beginning of the galus. The first pasuk, however, does not. This being so, why do we read it in that tune? The gemara answers that it was also associated with the galus since the pasuk is referring to the kaylim of the Bais Hamikdash. Achashveirosh had the audacity to use the vessels of the Bais Hamikdash for his personal pleasure; we therefore read those words in the niggun of Eicha.

They say over, that in the spirit of Purim, someone asked the Satmar Rebbe Zt”l why we lain these pasukim in the tune of Eicha? The answer given was that we wanted to ensure that the litvaks would be happy on Purim. He asked further, if so, why don’t we lein the whole megilah in that tune? He answered; ‘We don’t want things to get out of control.’ Although there are those yichidim that bring their milk crates and crocs to megilah reading for those few pasukim that we read in the tune of Eicha, this custom has yet to be universally accepted : – )

Rav Hutner, Zt”l, in the Pachad Yitzchok, asks a striking question. The pasuk earlier says ‘v’es yikar tiferes gedulaso’ which Chazal learn from there that Achashveirosh himself wore the bigdei kehuna. Based on what we said earlier, shouldn’t these words also be read in the tune of Eicha?

The Ba’alei Mussar answer with an interesting thought.

At the party, the bigdei kehuna were only worn by Achashveirosh who stood up and tried to make himself grand by looking like the Kohen Gadol. On the other hand, the kaylim were not only used by Achashveirosh, they were also used by all of klal Yisroel. True, it was very painful to see Achashveirosh wearing the begadim but the ramifications of this aveirah was much more severe with the fact that the yidden themselves were coerced into using the holy kaylim of the Bais Hamikdash. A goy can do an aveira and a yid can do a similar aveira. But the collateral damage is different because a gentile is not empowered with a level of holiness and destiny as that of a yid.

In Nefesh Hachaim, Rav Chaim Volozhin Zt”l, says that when a yid does an aveira in his mind the destruction he causes is worse than the destruction that the evil Titus caused the time he brought a zonah in the Kodesh Kodoshim. The Kodesh Kodoshim was the holiest place on earth and z’nus is one of the worst aveirous chamuros a person can ever transgress. How can we say that an aveira in your mind is worse?! This begs for an explanation…

In Parshas Ki Sisa, after Moshe Rabeinu witnessed the Cheg HaEgel, he smashed the Luchos. At the end of his life this act is listed as one of his greatest feats. Why? What was the great ma’aleh that Moshe did when he broke the Luchos? Rav Moshe Feinstein Zt”l says that Moshe Rabeinu was teaching klal Yisroel that when they do aveiros-don’t think you’re just doing something dreadful to yourself. When a yid does an aveira it doesn’t just affect him, it wreaks havoc on the entire klal Yisroel. A small aveira of a Yid causes more damage that the appalling acts of a goy. This was the lesson Moshe was teaching klal Yisroel.

This is rationale why only the pasukim that describe the aveira of klal Yisroel is when we read it in the niggun of Eicha, because that is factual destruction. Being that klal Yisroel is empowered with their actions they have the ability to build or demolish; create or destroy. A misdeed of a goy cannot reach the heights of a yids aveira.

As we approach Purim we should realize that the opposite is true, we should not underestimate the power of Mitzvos. As we are giving Tzedakah or eating the Seudah on Purim, realize that we are doing the will of Hashem and it is influencing the entire world.